There’s a sense that people who are irregularly crossing into Canada from the United States have created a crisis. Should they cross the border? More importantly, can our refugee determination system handle the weight of their refugee claims?

Now that the cold weather is upon us, the federal government has set up winterized trailers along the Canada-U.S. border, in anticipation of an increase in refugee claimants. As the U.S. government cancels Temporary Protected Status (TPS) programs for specific countries, people cross into Canada seeking protection. The...